Business Services Assistant / Assistant Manager (Bury St Edmunds)
We are seeking a part-qualified Assistant Accountant, or a recently qualified Assistant Manager, to join our busy Business Services team in Bury St Edmunds. Our modern, purpose-built office is based in the picturesque rural location of Fornham All Saints.
This full-time role (37.5 hours per week) can be combined with an element of home-working under the firms agile working policy, subject to the level of prior experience.
About the team
Our Business Services team support small and medium-sized businesses in a variety of sectors and business structures including limited companies, partnerships, sole traders, not-for-profit organisations/charities, and professional firms. The team provides a mix of services covering bookkeeping, management accounts, year-end accounts preparation, personal & corporate tax, and other accounting matters.
This means we can offer you exposure to a broad portfolio of work. We pride ourselves on being an approachable, supportive, friendly, and sociable team.
About the role
This role provides great opportunities for personal and career development, growth, and progression. The work will predominantly involve preparing financial accounts for sole traders, partnerships, and limited companies, along with corporation and personal tax compliance. You will liaise directly with clients to clear queries, attend meetings to discuss financial statements, provide additional advice and guidance, and build relationships as a trusted professional advisor.
At Assistant Manager grade, you will also assist with the development of trainees, including reviewing their work and providing feedback.
The successful candidate will need to be equally effective working both as part of a team and independently, either within our office or at client sites. A full UK driving licence with access to your own transport will be necessary to enable client visits.
Essential skills and experience:
* A minimum of 2 years of recent experience within a UK accountancy practice environment in a role involving direct client contact.
* Assistant grade: A minimum of AAT4 qualified and looking to study ICAEW/ACCA, or already in progress with ICAEW/ACCA and due to qualify in the near future.
* Assistant Manager grade: Recently ICAEW/ACCA qualified and looking to develop a long-term career in a practice environment.
* High IT proficiency with strong skills in MS Office (Word, Excel), Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage. Experience with CCH software would be useful.
* Experience in accounts preparation work (including management accounts), tax returns for unincorporated and corporate clients, understanding of personal and corporate tax, preparing VAT returns, and bookkeeping.
* Excellent communication skills: confident and articulate in dealing with a wide range of clients.
* Tenacious, thorough, and self-motivated with strong attention to detail, good organisational skills, and the ability to identify and address potential issues.
* Competence in handling sensitive information with confidentiality.
* Proven ability to meet deadlines, handle multiple priorities, and solve problems with a positive attitude.
* A full UK driving licence and access to own transport to facilitate visits to client sites.
The package includes (some benefits dependent on grade):
We offer an attractive salary with numerous benefits in a friendly working environment. We also have an impressive record of growth and an excellent reputation for staff development, offering an extensive in-house training programme for all staff.